Ingot stripping



Jan. 19 1926. 1,570,474

H. R. GEER INGOT STRIPPING Filed April 24, 1922- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 simu lNJENTOR ATTORNEY 1,570,474 Jan' 19 1926 H. R. GEER f l 'INGoT STRIPPIN'G Filed April 24. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2l 2f WQ f -Y v =a=\\\ 2g .z' 24 1 Z2 "f" INVENTOR 33 Helly IZ. 62,611

i Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES HARRY R. GEER, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

INGoT STRIPPING? Application led April 24, 1922.' Serial No. 556,229.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY R. GEER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Johnstown, county of Cambria, and State of Pennsylvania, have Ainvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ingot Stripping; and I do hereby decla-re the following to be a. full, clear, and exact descrip-tion of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in tle art to which it appertains tot make and use the same. v 4

My invention relates to separating ingots from molds, and I provide a method and apparatus of universal application which will handle both types of ingots, namely, those having smaller tops and larger bottoms and those which have larger tops and smaller bottoms, and either of these types may have a sink headtop portion which is ordinarily formed in a separate refractory non-conducting casing mounted on the mold.

'My apparatus is so designed as to utilizel the present and prior types of stripping machines which have hitherto been only adapted for use in removing molds from'the prior customary types of ingots,"namely, those with smaller tops and larger bottoms, and in doing this in the previously customary way it was or is only necessary to lift the mold from the ingot and then grasp the ingot by suitable. tongs and place it where desired. These prior machines were also each provided with a pusher to facilitate the extraction of stickers, which pusher was generally formed integral withlthe ram or firmly secured thereto, so that it. was not removably mounted nor interchangeable with the other apparatus, as in my case.

'In order to make my universal apparatus I utilize a stripping machine having a ram movable up or down, orL laterally'and also longitudinally if desired, mounted on a crane, and I provide on the lower portion of the ram an attachment comprising a casing with a preferably vT-shaped groove therein adapted to receive the head or up; per ianged portion of a specially formed and preferably automatic tongs adapted to grasp an ingot or to push a mold by Contact with its end and the groove of the casing is also adapted to receive a similarly flanged head portion of a pusher bar which is interchangeable A,with the tongs, andin `order to facilitate the change I- provide va special stand to receive 'the tongs or pusher. which movement ofthe ram stand may be at a convenient height such i the tongs or the pusher, either may be seated' upon its proper stand or support and the ram then traversed by the .usual'methocL so that the slot in the ram casing will engage the flange of the tongs'or pusher and itmay be seated properly in the ram casing'. As

" the clearance between the flanges and the retainin head is vnecejssaril slight to make" a close `t, the supportsw ich 'temporarily receive the tongs or pusher bar are mounted on an inclined slide on the stand, so that their movement longitudinally with this in,

clined support will raise or lower the tongs or pusher so that the flange of either will enter the slot i-n the ram casing.

The tongs which I use are a special form of bell-crank tongs mounted in a casing provided with the usual points or gripping dogs at their lower ends, and the tongs are adapted tol be closed upon an ingot by their own weight, and the upper bell-crank portions, which are preferably provided with rollersat each end,'are adapted to slide on` i suitable ways ofthe tong casing, so that the weight of thel ingot graslped willl serve to close thetongs more tight y. The tongs are also of special'constru'ction in that two triggers are Aprovided to Vhold the ton f open 'and ln'an upward position untilft ey are lowered, when the'triggers strike the upper surfaces or vends of the mold, whereupon the triggers release the yoke which 'carries the tongs and they drop downwardly in position to grasp an ingot, and the upward movement of thetongs bythe machine will hft the ingot andit may then be transported where desired. Thetong casing also acts as a mold pusher, as it has two arms which straddle an ingot top while their lower ends restl on the` mold end, land the' down-Ward willl push or hold the mold as desired. f a

Practice `hasshown that about sixty per cent of the ingots with larger tops can be removed or stripped easily from their molds,

in which case, after the sinkhead casings are lifted therefrom. preferably at the steel plant, my tong mechanism is required only to lift these ingots from the molds, preferably by their upwardly projecting sinkhead portions, and convey them to cars for delivery to the mill heating furnaces, or otherwise or elsewhere. My tongs may also be made or so proportioned as to lift an ingot j by grasping the upper ends of the body portion just below the sinkhead top portion.

In some cases large top ingots are not readily removed from their molds, as they adhere thereto from -various causes, and in some cases about forty per cent so adhere,

- trolley and attachments firmly while the ram lmoves down, and between these standards yI provide a stool having an upwardly projecting portion or ejector adapted to contact with the bottom of the ingot. A mold with the contained sticker ingot is lifted by the links of the stripper, set in position with the rojectin plug r ejector against the ingot-bottom. gIhe links of the stripper are then engaged with the hooks of the lStand., and the casing of the in ot tongs,

which is bifurcated or of inverte U-shape and thus adapted to straddle the ingot top,

is then pushed downwardly by the ram with the `lower ends of its projections or bifurcations contacting with the upper end of the mold and the mold is pushed downwardly thereb from the ingot, after 'which the linksv are re eased fromthe hooks and the tongs l grasp the ingot, preferably byits sinkhead tog and place it wheredesired. .45 p i j .types may be separated from t eir molds,

y'means of my apparatus in ots of both -and my apparatus will also strip stickers as well as those ingots lmay be accomp s with the possible exception of operati theirfmolds.

The necessarylsmotions of my apparatus hed by the crane operator the lock which uickly secures the pusher ead or tongs to t e ram of the stripper machine, although he may also operate the cable or handle which does this if so desired.

Having thus given a generaldescription of my invention, I will now, in order to makel the matter more clear, refer to the two annexed sheets of drawings, whichy form'` f art of this specification and in which like c aracters refer to `likepartsg 'i Figure 1 is a side elevatlonl ofa portion' v 5'5- of an ingot stripping plant illustrating' thel application' of my invention; vig ai which do not stick in.

`tor 12, .the upper portion of w above the same as illustrated. 13 are the side elevation of the supporting stand for holding the stripper tongs and pusher head with parts of the. frame broken away to more clearly show the construction of these portions; Figure 3 is a side elevation of my improved stripper arranged for stripping ingots of the ordinary type, which are smaller at the top than at the bottom; Figure 4 isa side elevation of the stripper tongs mounted in the ram casing of the stripper machine; Figure 5 is a vertical transverse sectional elevation of the stripper tongs taken on the line V'-V of Figure 4; Figure 6 is an end elevation of the yoke casting of the stripper tongs; Figure 7 is a lvertical y longitudinal sectionaljelevation through the stripper tongs taken ou the line VII-VII of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a top plan view of the stripper tongs; Figure 9 is a sectional elevation through the lower portion of one end of the' stripper tongs on the line of the trigger, the section being taken on the line IX-IX of Figure 10; Figure 10 is a detail sectional elevation through the lower end of one of the sides of the stripper tongs on the line X-X of Figure 9; Figure 1.1 is a detail sectional elevation through the lower end of one of the sides of the stripper tongs'taken on the line XI-XI of Figure 9, and Figure 12 is a top plan view of one of the tong bell-crank levers.

Referring now to the characters of reference on the drawings 1 represents the ingot ars provided with molds in which the ingo are cast, 2 is an ingot mold, the top of which is smaller than the` bottom and which mold therefor may be Stripped from the ingot 3 by lifting it upwardly from the lstool 4 by means of its lugs 5. 6 is an in ot, the top of the body of which is larger t an the bottom and has an upper sinkhead portion 7, which is formed in a sinkhead casing in any usual manner. The mold in which this ingot is formed is 8, provided with top and bottom lugs V9 and is mounted on the stool 4 .carried by the ingot car 1. My stripper stand in general is 10, provided with 'a stool 11 mounted therein, the stool having a central perforationin which is mounted the lower end of the plug or ejecinwardly extending hooks mounted on the upper-ends of the 'standards of the strippi stand provided with lug portions of oiiormation similarto Athose of the lugs of themolds and adapted to be engaged by the usual linksor grips 14- of the ingot stripper, which links or grips are adapted -to be movedy up and down with relation tothe' ingotl stripper ram 15 and opened or closed, and in this case the ram 15 is provided with :teasing 16 having a T-shaped slot 26 therein, which is adapted to receive either thefange 21,of the outer casing 20 of the ich projects tongs 19 or the flanged head 49 of `the pusher 48.

The links 14 are pivoted at 17 and are provided with rods or cables 18 whereby 'the are opened or closed as indicatedH by fu and dotted lines in Figure 1, or they mayl be raised or lowered as 'indicated by n full and dotted lines in Figure 3, the mechanism for this forming part of the usuall stripping crane (not shown). 19- are the ingot tongs in general, which are provided with an outer casing. or guide 20 hereto-` fore referred to, whlch casing is provided with an Aupper flange 21 adapted to be insertedin the slot 26 ofthe ram casing 16. A notch 22 is providedin one. side of the flanged edge 21 and an L-shaped latch 23 is pivotallymounted at 24 and provided with an eye 25 in its lower end adapted to receive the cable or handle for operating the latch :to lock the flange 22 in position in the Slo-t 26 of the ram casing 16, or this latch may also similarly lock the pusher 48, by mea-ns of its similar notch 50 in its flange 49. My ingot tongs are provided with bell-crank levers 27 which are mounted to be slightly rotated uponthe pivot shafts 28 and -I provide a special yoke 29 in whch the pivot shafts 28. are journalled as shown. The

bell-crank tongs have lower gripping ends 30, which are'provided with removable teeth or dogs 31 adapted to grasp the hot ingot in the usual manner. 'Theupper arms 35 of,

the tong levers 27 are provided with bifurcations 32 at their ends, in which rollers 3 3 Aare rotatably mounted 4on the pins 34. The' upper intermediate portions of the bell- .cranks of the tong levers 27 are 35, and their outer ends project through ,the openings 36 1n the upper portions of the 'tong'casing 20.

The rollers 33 are adapted tov roll on vthe.

inclined guides .or ways 37 in such a. way that when the tongs are lowered with respect tothe casing20l their teeth or. do s 31 'will approach each other and fcrcib y gras the'zingot, andas the'weight is carried e ends of thetongs provided with rollers I33, the weight itself will cause the tongs to close an sp the'A ingot very firmly. `The yoke 29 ll`i'iaprovided with -inte.

' gral side portions 38 mounted within, and ads jacent the-side portion of the tong' casing- 20 and has lower contacting edges 39 which are adapted to rest on the triggers 41" whenv the movableI .portions of 1 the tongsare .in

their extreme lower position.- .The lower ends 40 of the sides ofthe yoke 29, when the tongs are opentare adapted to rest upon the triggers 41, `which are rotatably mounted in the lower ends of the tmgcas'ing- 20, as:

illustrated, thesek triggers bein 'mo'unted upon shafts 42 and 'secured' t ereon by means of the bolts .43, the headsf which? are seated within theA notches 44, and these triggers are provided with inner notches or cut-away portions 45, and when the triggers are in certain positionsthey will allow the yoke 29, which carries the tong levers 27, to be lowered with respect to the casing 20 so that the gripping-ends 30 of the tongs may be closed upon the ing'ot. This is accomplished by the operator, who

lowers the tongs when the triggers 41 are in the` osition illustrated in full lnes in Figure whereupon the lower projecting ends of these triggers will contact with the mold top and -rotate the triggers suiiciently to turn the notch' portion 45 tosuch'a position as to allow the lower ends 40 ofthe yoke to pass the triggers, thus carrying the tong levers downwardly, and as they move r' they will automatically close by reason of the contact of the rollers 33 oir the inclined ways 37. This is indicated by dotted lines in, Figure7. TheA tongs may be opened again by lowering them on an ingot top or other object to contact with the intermediate portion of the yoke 29 between the tong levers 30, which raises the yoke and tongl levers, lwhereupon the` triggers drop fby the machine Vis moved over ,the slide 51, the Y pusherinserted in itsstand, the latch `23 is opened, the machine is movedjn' such a way "as to disengage the pusher head from the slot 26 in theeram casin 16, and. then the machine is traversed an moved 1n such ,a way as toengage the flange 21 of the tongs within the slot 26, andas the'lauge fits within theslot the slide is made inclosel d so that as the stripping machine is cline -moved the tongs will slide slightly until the. -iange registers withythe. slot,.whereupon it will be seated within the casing 16, and the )mi then beoperated 4with the tongs for uses as i' described. v i

latch 23 is then'clos'cd and the machine may Th'e operationofm'y apparatus is as tolp' lows If desired to strip a small-top ingot 3 from its mold 2, 'thepusher head 48` is first placed in position in the casingl 'of the ram 15, the linksf14are 'engaged with ,the llugs, 5 andthe mold'lif-ted therefrom,and ifjthe ingot should stick 'in' the mold the pusher 1s projectedfagainst theftop off the ingot 'and the links .are then moved upwardly, f thus separatingjthe ingot from" the`1nold, and the rnold i's then lifted from the ingojtandl placed f elsewhere. After the molds are thus stripped from the ingotsthe tongs 19 are substituted j for the pusher Yand the ingots placed on the" cars or elsewhere for heating, rolling orV set it on a car for transporting to a heating furnace or elsewhere, or it may be set anywhere within the limits of the stripping O engagement with the hooks 13 and the tong crane movement.

In order to strip large-end-up ingots, which are stickers, from their molds, the links 14 are engaged with the lugs 9 and the mold and the contained ingot are seated over the stool 11 of the stripper stand 10, with the end of the ingot on the plug or ejector 12. The links 14 are then swung outwardly in casing 2O is pushed downwardly with its two ends or bifurcations against opposite portions of the upper end of the mold; the mold is then pushed downwardly from the ingot, and after'1 this is accomplished the links 14 are disengaged from the hooks 13 and an upward movement of the tongs will cause them to firmly grasp the ingot and re-v move it elsewhere as desired. After this is done the links 14 are engaged lwith the lugs 9 and the mold may be replaced on its car 1 for further use.

Although I have shown andl described my invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact and specific details thereof, as shown and described, but may use such modifications in, substitutions for, or equivalents thereof as are embraced within the scope of my invention or as pointed out in the claims.

Having thus described my invention,'what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In an ingot stripper, thecombination with the ram, of a socket casing mounted thereon, and an ingot tongs adapted to ,be removably mounted in said socket.

2. In an ingot stripper, the combination with the ram ofl a socket casing mounted thereon, a. tongs provided with a flange `or projection adapted to be removably seated in said socket, and means for quickly securing it in and for releasing it from said'- socket.

3. In an ingotstripper, thecombination with the ram, of a socket casing secured to its end portion and a pusher provided with a. flange adapted to 'be removably secured in said Socke 4. The combination with an ingot stripper of an automatic tongs removably secured to the ram thereof, a casing therefor, triggers rotatably mounted in the lower end of said casing with their ends normally projecting downwardly therefrom, a slidable yoke in said casing adapted to vbe held in its upper position by cont-act with said triggers and released by the turning of said triggers due to their contact with any object there# below, and tong levers pivoted in said yoke.

5. An automatic tongs comprising a casing, triggers mounted in the lower end of said casing with portions normally projecting therebelow, a yoke slidably mounted in Said casing, supported by said triggers when in its upper position, said triggers being adapted to be partially rotated by the contact of theirf projecting portionswith anyl object therebelow; whereby the ends of the yoke register with notches or cut-away portions of said triggers, thus allowing the yoke to drop by gravity, tongs comprising a pair of bell-crank levers pivotally mounted in said yoke, with the ends of their upper arms adapted to contact with and be supported by the'casing aforesaid.`

6. An automatic lngot tongs, comprising a casing, triggers rotatably mounted inthe lower ends thereof with portions normally adapted to project therebelow, notches or cut-away portions in said triggers, a yoke slidably mounted in said casing and normally adapted to be supported in its upper position by said triggers, a pair of tongs plvotally mounted in said yoke with the ends of their upper arms provided with anti-friction rollers, and guides on the upper part of said casing adapted to supportand guide said rollers; whereby when said tongs are lowered on an ingot orother object the triggers f is mounted, actuating arms on said trlgger eccentrically located with respect to said shaft. andnormally projecting downwardly from said casing, adapted to'normally support a yoke carrying a pair of tongs, notches in said trigger whereby, lwhen it is turned 4 the notches will register with the yoke, thus allowing theyoke to descend by gravity. 8. An ingot stripping .machine provided with a ram to be moved up or down and laterally, av pair vof links `adapted to. be

opened or closed and raised'or lowered with respect to said. ram,A whereby they are adapted to engage with mold lugs or hooks, a stand provided with-hook `portions sV aced apa-rt adapted to be engaged by said inks. a tongs 'mounted on said ram and provided .with a casing adapted to bear on the top of an ingot mold, whereby `a mold can be` pushed downwardly to free it from the ingot and then the latter be promptly lifted bysaid'tongs.

9. An ingot stripping machine comprising a. ram, a air of links adapted to be moved upward y or downwardly with respect thereto, a stand provided with hooks adapted to receive said links, a tongs secured to, said ram, an ejector mounted on the baseof said stand on which an ingot contained in a mold is adapted to be seated, said tongs being mounted in a bifurcated casing, the ends of which casing are adapted to abut the end of a mold, and means for moving said i ram downwardly and upstand adapted to Contact with the end of an ingot,'and means for pushing the ram casing downwardly against the upper en d of an ingot mold.

In witness whereof I hereunto aix my signature.

, HARRY R.- GEER. f 

